New apartments plans for former Mormon church meeting room in Chorley

The site of a former Mormon church in Chorley has been identified for 20 new apartments.
The proposed site on the left looking up Water Street to Commercial RoadThe proposed site on the left looking up Water Street to Commercial Road
The proposed site on the left looking up Water Street to Commercial Road

The land on Water Street - close to the town centre - is situated in the St. Laurence’s Conservation Area.

Property developer Gradus Homes Ltd have submitted a planning application to Chorley Council seeking permission for the apartments, together with car parking.

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The proposed three-storey building would contain 18 apartments with the roof space providing two more - . all two bedrooms.

An impression of the front elevation of the apartmentsAn impression of the front elevation of the apartments
An impression of the front elevation of the apartments

The site was formerly the Mormon church meeting room which consisted of a two-storey building comprising of meeting rooms, classrooms and ancillary accommodation.

The building was demolished in the early 2000s and the site has since been left disused.

A planning statement in support of the application claims there has been ' a detrimental effect on the neighbourhood' as a result of the site being left unattended.

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Most recent planning approvals for the site are for the construction of a two-storey office building and associated car park and an outline application for eight new homes with parking, which, it says, establish the principle of developing the site.

The statement adds: "A pre-application submission has been made for this apartment development and overall the principle of the scheme design was acceptable."

The site area has seen the most change within the conservation area.

The statements continues: "Three-storey buildings have been erected on Water Street and off Hollinshead Street, which have a neutral effect on the area’s quality, while key historic buildings continue to have a positive influence.

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"The site is referred to as having a ‘negative effect’ on the conservation area.

"This area displays the periods of both affluence and poverty that can be found throughout the history of the town.

"The larger houses on Park Road are examples of the former, reflective of when the middle classes moved to the fringes of the town in the early 19th century, and the smaller houses in the Water Street area, built for mill workers in the mid. 18th. century and then later for the gas works, bore witness to the latter.

"Some of these were demolished in the mid. 20th century and this area now features a public car park.

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"The conservation area has a green character which is evident by the extent of the ribbon of tree coverage.

"They help make a positive contribution to the area especially around St. Laurence’s Church along Park Road and behind Water Street.

"To the north of the proposed site are the gardens to The Manse - No.4 Park Street and the Unitarian Chapel, a Grade ll Listed Building.

"The Chapel steps are located to the east, which were originally constructed in the early 18th century to provide access to the Unitarian Chapel in Park Street.

"These were later reconstructed in 1985 with public open space beyond them."

Gradus Homes are based in Chorley. They build homes around the North West.